Sounding-board bridge



July 28, 1925.

N. M. ONG

SQUNDING BOARD BRIDGE Fil ed Aug. 11. 1925 aftermar- Patented July 28, 1925 UNITED STATES NATHANIEL M. ONG, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

SOUNDING-BOARD BRIDGE.

Application filed August 11, 1923. Serial No. 656,787.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL M. ONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and use ful SoundingBoard Bridge, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a sounding board bridge for use in connection with pianos, and it is designed primarily as an improve ment upon the structure disclosed in Patent No. 824:,Oi0 issued to me on June 19, 1906.

In the said patented structure, the brace is arranged to bear upon the sounding board at points directly opposite or over the reinforcing ribs arranged on the sounding board and fastening means are extended through the ribs, board and bridge. This resulted in astructure of undesirable rigidity and it is an object of the present invention to so vary the construction as to render the sounding board n1 re susceptible to vibrations so as to produce a better tone.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a face view of a sounding board having the present improvements combined therewith.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3, Fig. 1

Fig. f is an enlarged section on line H, Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference S designates a sounding board of the usual construction provided, on its rear face, with diagonally disposed strengthening ribs R. The present invention includes a curved bridge 1 having a longitudinal channel 2 in that face thereof engaging the sounding board, the sides of the said bridge being cut away or slotted to provide openings 8 in staggered relation extending throughout the greater portion of the length of the bridge. The lower end portion of the bridge, however, is not provided with these side openings as will be seen by referring to Figs. 1 and 2. The feet et formed between the openings engage the sounding board S at points in front of the spaces between the ribs R and are not disposed directly oppo site the ribs as in the 'patent hereinbefore mentioned. Fastening screws 5 are extended through the sounding board between the ribs and have their head engaging buttons 6 located between the ribs while the ends of the screws engage the bridge as shown.

Thus the parts are held together securely without producing the rigidity which occurs where the feet are placed directly opposite the ribs and the fastening means are extended through the ribs and feet. Consequently a better tone is produced than would be possible in a more rigid structure than that shown.

Vhat is claimed is 1. The combination with a sounding board having spaced strengthening ribs on one face, of a bridge secured upon the other face of the sounding board and having feet disposed in staggered relation and engaging the board only at points opposite the spaces between the ribs.

2. The combination with a sounding board having spaced strengthening ribs on one face, of a bridge secured upon the other face of the sounding board and having feet disposed in staggered relation and engaging the board only at points opposite the spaces between the ribs, and fastening means extending through the sounding board between the ribs and engaging the bridge.

3. The combination with a sounding board having spaced strengthening ribs on one face, of a bridge secured upon the other face of the sounding board and having feet disposed in staggered relation and engaging the board only at points opposite the spaces between the ribs, but-tons interposed between the ribs and against the sounding board, and fastening means extending through the but-tons and sounding board and into engagement with the bridge for holding the bridge and sounding board.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my sig nature in the presence of two witnesses.

NATHANIEL M. ONG. Vitnesses NOAH 0. MAY, JOHN G. Dnnnnn. 

